They need a voice!

Whenever I hear or read something about wildlife species that threatens there well being, I tend to get a bit worked up. I like to keep my posts about photography, but this affects wildlife photographers as well as our entire ecosystem. Gray wolves have been protected under the Endangered Species Act since its inception in 1973. Now the government administration is on the verge of stripping them of the only protections that stand between wolves and the demise of their fragile population. In the last two years alone, over 1,700 wolves have been ruthlessly hunted down and killed. This is simply putting politics before science. Here is a snapshot of the habitat that wolves roamed free in before European settlements.

Now, their habitat is shrinking, and although conservation efforts are helping restore some populations to respectable numbers, more still needs to be done. The Gray Wolf is a keystone predator and is an integral component of the ecosystems to which it typically belongs. The wide range of habitats in which wolves can thrive reflects their adaptability as a species, and includes temperate forests, mountains, tundra, taiga, and grasslands.

They need to remain on the endangered species list until they have stabilized. This way we can enjoy this spectacular creature when visiting national parks and other places. Visit here to help. Officially off the soapbox!